You are here

Parent Perspective - Wanda García

Mother of Alicia Ramirez '15

San Juan, Puerto Rico

What is your general impression of Bryn Mawr?

My first impression of Bryn Mawr was that it is known for rigorous academics and respect for the student body. I wanted my daughter to attend a prestigious school with a long history of academic excellence where she could learn from the best people in her field, and make the most out this investment that is a college education in the United States. When we first visited campus during an accepted students event, I witnessed how welcoming and kind the faculty and staff were to us but most importantly, the current students. This visit assured me that what the website and brochures say about Bryn Mawr being an inclusive community and that it goes beyond academics is absolutely true. Whenever I visit my daughter, I am reassured that this is the place for her.

How has Bryn Mawr supported your daughter while being so far from home?

Bryn Mawr has been incredibly supportive of my daughter’s aspirations! I cannot thank the professors and other employees enough for accommodating my daughter’s needs academically and personally. Her dean, who was assigned to her when she enrolled, always makes sure she is on track to graduate on time, advises her on how to manage her course load, and provides her with any reassurance she needs during those stressful times in the semester. Also, my daughter has been fortunate to meet great colleagues but most importantly, staff members who work in her dorm that have become part of our extended family. These are the people she interacts with every day and who she shares her concerns with, and are always willing to help her when necessary. In fact, I have gotten close to them too, and gotten to learn about their families and why my daughter credits them for being so supportive.

Alicia has always been a mature young woman. However, living on her own has given her a greater sense of independence and opportunity to meet new people with different points of view and life experiences who share the fact that they are all far from home.I am impressed by how my daughter has grown as a freethinking individual. She has the capability to thoughtfully and thoroughly analyze readings and confidently engage in discussions with others but her growth goes beyond that. Bryn Mawr College has exposed her to different ways of learning and professional opportunities so she can see the world through different eyes. She has been lucky enough to partake in internships for the past year or so, working in book publishing with the usual support of her college.

I am proud to recommend Bryn Mawr College! I helped my daughter search for schools to apply to, and we always knew Bryn Mawr was a fantastic school for what she wanted to study. However, it was other people’s reactions to it that reassured me that my daughter was at a terrific school, and that she could not have made a better decision. Whenever people ask me where my daughter goes to college, they tend to say that it is an amazing school not just for the remarkable people who went there. Also, try to be as invested as you can with your daughter’s college research, ask her questions, and challenge her point of view. It is important that you as a parent get to know the different schools, especially if your daughter plans to go far away from home just like mine.